Scouring pad holder and container



Jan. 5, 1965 P. CAMPANA, JR 3,163,875

scounmc PAD scum AND CONTAINER Filed June 13, 1962 INVENTOR PAY/z (A/W414, J2

3,163,875 SCOURENG PAD HOLDER AND CONTAINER Paul Campana, .ln, 104 Webster St., Vallejo, Calif. Filed June 13, 1962, Ser. No. 202,154 1 Claim. (Cl. 155-209) This invention generally relates to steel wool pads and particularly to holding means therefor while in use and for storage after use.

Steel wool pads can be dangerous because splinters therefrom can cause infections. After use, such pads tend to rust, as they normally retain some water between such use. There are several holders available for use with steel wool pads at the present time. One such device is shown in US. Patent 2,479,131 granted to I. M. Pari on August 16, 1949. A shown, the pad lies in a container which lacks drainage facilities. For use, the holder deforms the pad and only the pad end is available for use. US. Patent 2,753,581 granted to G. B. Clark on July 10, 1956, provides a plastic bag for holding a steel wool pad for use. While thi means is an advance over the Pari arrangement, steel wool splinters may pierce such a bag. Also, there are no storage facilities. Still a further means for holding a pad is shown in US. Patent 2,888,699 granted to J. G. Bubar on June 2, 1959, in which the pad is pinned to the holder.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a holder for steel wool pads while in use permitting use of the major portion of the pad with means for applying pressure to the contacting or cleaning pad surface.

Still another object of this invention is to provide the aforementioned holding means with a storage holder for both the pad and its holding means which permits drainage of the pad after use.

And another object of this invention is to provide holding means for steel wool pads which permits gripping the pad while using the broad side thereof and drainage of such pad after use.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the'art by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of holding means made in accordance with the invention for using a steel wool pad,

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the novel holding means of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the novel holding means of FIGURES 1 and 2,

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the novel storage holding means for the holding means and steel Wool pad of FIG- URES 1 to 3,

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of the storage holding means of FIGURE 4 with a portion thereof in section.

Referring now to the drawings, holding means made in accordance with the invention is comprised of a steel wool pad holder when using such a pad, and a storage holder 20 for the holder 10 and the steel wool pad P. As may be clearly seen in FIGURES 1 to 3, the holder 10 is a substantially rectangular block of flexible material. One end of the holder 10 has a slot 11 for receiving a steel wool pad P. The resulting upper'flange 12 along slot 11 is longer than is a resulting lower flange 15.

The upper flange 12 has peripheral rib 13 and a rough or ribbed finger engaging surface 14. The lower flange 15 similarly has a peripheral rib 16 and a rough or ribbed thumb surface portion 17.

By squeezing the flanges 12 and 15 together, the pad P is retained in slot 11. The rough surfaces 14 and 17 prevent the holder 10 fiom slipping. The other end of holder 10 has a slot 18 so the terminal portion adjacent the palm of a user is flexible. As may be seen, the major United States Patent 0 portion of alarge flat surface of pad P is exposed for use. The flange 12 extends over a portion of the exposed pad P permitting the pad to be pressed against the article being cleaned.

The storage holder 20 is comprised of a cylindrical base 21 open at the top and having an annular flange 22 encircling the open end. Flange 22 may be circular and unbroken or threadlike. An inverted frusto-conical member 23 is disposed in the base 21 and has an annular flange 24 encircling the upper or larger end thereof. The flange 24 engages the open top of the base 21 to support member 23 and has an annular rib or thread 25 that engages flange or thread 22 of the base 21. The holder 10 and pad P are disposed in member 23 after use and water from the pad is permitted to drain through the opening 26 at the bottom of the member 23 into a chamber 27 in the base 21.

Holders 10 and 20 are of a non-rusting material while the holder 10 i also preferably flexible. Such material may be metallic or a plastic.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A hand holder for a steel wool pad formed entirely of flexible material comprising an intermediate solid body portion, an upper finger engaging flange integral with said body portion and extending from one side thereof, a lower thumb engaging flange integral with said body portion and extending from said one side thereof and with said upper finger engaging flange defining a slot adapted to receive a portion of a steel wool pad such that pressure applied by the fingers and thumb will flex the respective flanges toward each other to grip the steel wool pad therebetween, said thumb engaging flange being considerably shorter than said finger engaging flange to provide a maximum exposed area of said steel wool pad, and at least one cushioning flange formed integral with said body portion at the side thereof opposite said finger and thumb engaging flanges to fit within the palm of the hand, wherein said thumb engaging flange is of a width considerably less than the width of the finger engaging flange, the outer surfaces of said flanges lying substantially coextensive respectively, with the upper and lower surfaces of said body portion, a peripheral rib extending around each said finger and thumb flanges on the outer surface thereof, and said outer surface of each said finger and thumb flanges having a ribbed or roughened portion to prevent slippage, wherein the inner edge portion of each flange is tapered, whereby said slot flares outwardly, and said body portion including the finger and thumb flanges at one side thereof, and the at least one cushioning flange on the other side thereof, being of substantially rectangular formation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,404,730 Bandy Jan. 31, 1922. 1,955,989 Uhni Apr. 24, 1934 2,441,268 Haber May 11, 1948 2,479,131 Pari Aug. 16, 1949 2,555,153 Rakolf et a1 May'29, 1951 2,753,581 Clark July 10, 1956 2,792,583 Alfano May 21, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 229,441 Switzerland Jan. 17, 1944 824,716 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1959 

